Sixth Form Curriculum Overview
Academic Core
At the heart of all students’ Sixth Form curriculum is their A level studies. Students can choose to either study 3 subjects and an EPQ or 4 subjects. We strongly believe that the excellent learning environment that the school provides allows students to thrive when faced with the challenges and demands of the courses we offer.
We offer a BTEC Award qualification in Sport. This is equivalent to one A Level and is continually assessed over the duration of the course. It is widely accepted for university admission and provides an ideal grounding for further study in that field.
Core Activities: Volunteering, Team Projects and Lecture Series
Encouraging students to give something back to the school and the wider community is a key theme in the Sixth Form. Students will be encouraged to undertake one to two hours of voluntary work per week. This could be organised by students at a time when they have no timetabled lessons or done entirely outside school time. For those students who struggle to arrange their own volunteering, the school will provide some opportunities in a number of different areas (within school, local primary schools, charity shops), but the onus is on the student to find something suitable.
Team Projects reinforces the independent learning habits which the school espouses and will provide a further bridge to university study. There will be a number of different team challenges that students take part in over the course of the year. The London Challenge sees them working in teams to collect evidence and answer clues around our capital city, while the Charity Challenge sees teams deciding on a mutual cause that they would like to support and then carrying out an activity to benefit their charity. Activities such as Young Enterprise, Engineering Society, Medics Society and Drama productions can also be recorded for recognition.
A lecture series has been running very successfully for a number of years for both Y12 and Y13 students. We have a wide range of speakers covering general interest topics as well as a number of talks from academics to give an insight into what their subject will involve at university. There are also talks to cover important aspects of PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) and to encourage students to develop effective study habits.
The Character Challenge
Here at DCGS we have a strong focus on developing students as all round people who are ready to make a successful transition to life after school. We believe that the character that students develop is hugely important to their future success and happiness. Whilst academic studies are clearly important to open doors to a range of post-18 options, having a broad set of experiences and developing associated skills is equally vital. In order to bring coherence to what we offer our Sixth Formers take part in the Character Challenge which are a set of academic, co-curricular and personal development activities that they complete during their two years with us.
The challenges are divided into the following categories:
- Core Activities in School. Examples include: Academics; Volunteering; Regular Exercise; Lectures; Support others; Work Experience; London Challenge.
- Optional Activities in School. Students complete a minimum of five activities from the list which includes: Clubs and Societies; Be part of Music/Drama/Sports teams; Give a talk to younger years; complete a MOOC; support the Welfare Dog
- Activities outside of School. Students complete a minimum of one activity from a list of five in each category: Adventure, Cultural Capital, Fun, Personal Growth, Preparation for Independent Living
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
The EPQ is an opportunity for students to produce an extended piece of work on a topic of their own choice, with guidance from staff. This could be a subject area the student wishes to study at university that is not part of their school curriculum (e.g. Medicine or Engineering) or simply an area of personal interest unrelated to their other studies. It is an exciting opportunity for students to manage their own learning and is highly regarded by universities. It is worth the equivalent of an AS level and some universities are now making offers to those students who achieve a high grade in their EPQ.
Fourth A Level
Choosing a fourth A Level is an option suitable for the most academic students who will thrive on the challenge of studying four subjects throughout their Sixth Form career. It should not just be seen as a means of avoiding the sometimes difficult task of choosing three subjects.
Optional Activity: Higher Level Task/MOOC
This provides students with the opportunity to look into an area of interest in real detail without the constraints of the EPQ paperwork. It should be something that is going to benefit them in their university application and could take a wide range of different activities (MOOCs, additional exams, reading around and presenting on a topic above the syllabus, learning to code etc.)
Core Activity: Sport, Exercise and Sixth Form Games
We provide all Y12 students with two hours of games each week. For some this will mean representing the school teams in their wide-ranging fixtures, whilst for others it will be for recreational purposes and to stay healthy. Options include:
Badminton, Climbing, Cricket, Gym, Football (squad and recreational), Hockey (boys and girls), Netball, Rugby, Softball Spinning, Table Tennis, Tennis, Weight training, Yoga,